A Sorority Sister Saved Her Life; Now She Wants To Save Others

TAMPA, FL — Melonie Harris recalls her excitement when she was inducted into Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority in the Theta Upsilon Chapter at the University of South Florida in Tampa in the fall of 1999.

She could sense that her fellow sorority members would become lifelong friends. But it never occurred to her that one of them would also save her life.

In November 2005, Harris was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger’s Disease, an immune-deficiency disorder that affects the kidneys. The disease occurs when IgA, a protein that helps fight infections, settles in the kidneys. The disease is most commonly seen among Caucasians and Asians. It rarely impacts a young, African American woman like Harris.

Test results showed that the IgA nephropathy had caused permanent scar tissue damage on her kidneys and left her with only 50 percent kidney function. Harris was placed on medication that focused on slowing the progression of the disease down.

However, on July 31, 2007, Harris received devastating news. She was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure.

She arrived at Morton Plant Hospital with a blood pressure reading of 180 over 110, red blood cells not producing blood, swollen feet and fatigue. Her blood work showed her creatinine level was 28. Harris needed immediate dialysis and a blood transfusion, or she would die.

But after receiving treatment, her blood pressure elevated continued to rise to 189 over 135. Harris lost consciousness, had a grand mal seizure and stopped breathing.

Doctors moved her to the intensive care unit and placed her on a respiratory machine for three days.

Harris' kidneys were no longer functioning and there were no signs that they ever would again. It was obvious that she desperately needed a kidney transplant.

For the next month, she received hemodialysis treatment three times a week for four hours a
day. During that time, Harris had 17 seizures grand mal and mild seizures that caused her to lose her vision for one to hours and have hallucinations.

Her doctors said they'd never seen such an aggressive case of IgA nephropathy.

For six months, Harris was on peritoneal dialysis seven days a week for eight hours. She despaired at ever leading a normal life again.

However, the day after Christmas in 2007, Harris received an unexpected gift. A kidney donor who was a perfect match had been found. And it happened to be one of her sorority sisters.

Harris' successful transplant took place on March 27, 2008, at Tampa General Hospital. Her sorority sister, who wishes to remain anonymous, had given her back her life.

Today, 13 years later, Harris has a healthy kidney, two children with her husband, Dr. Philip C. Harris, and a lifelong friend who gave her the gift of life.

Now living in South Florida, Harris has made it her mission to share her story and encourage people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors as an ambassador for Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency in Miami, one of 57 federally designated organ recovery agencies certified and regulated by the federal government.

April is National Donate Life Month, and Harris is all too aware of the thousands of people who haven't been as fortunate as she was to find a friend who was a perfect match.

Currently, there are more than 113,000 people on the national transplant waiting list, 5,873 of which live in Florida.

To support organ donations, residents are asked to wear the colors adopted by national Donate Life organization, blue and green, on Friday, April 16.

For information on how to register, click here.